Identity
Person No.
32308
Old ROH no.
1068
Service No.
72393762PE
Last Name
First Name
Gerhardus Frederick
Initials
G F
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
29
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
ACC 1,585
Accident
Cause of Death
Died in Freak Accident, reported missing after being attacked by a crocodile while swimming. His body was never located and he has no known grave
Military Service
Branch
Army
Rank
Sergeant
Regiment
5 Reconnaissance Regiment 72
Later renamed
5 Special Forces Regiment
(1995)
Unit
Unknown
Defence Force
SADF 3,852
South African Defence Force
Location
Country
Locality
Grave Reference
Memorial
Memorial
Location
On a koppie at the Voortrekker Monument, overlooking Pretoria
Address
Coordinates
Panel
Not listed against a numbered panel
On the panel
Position on the panel will be added with photographs
Unit History
Attached To
Role at time of death
Special Forces (reconnaissance)
Status
Regular Force
Each numbered Reconnaissance unit was renamed over time: "X Reconnaissance Commando" -> "X Reconnaissance Regiment" (1981) -> briefly a Parachute Battalion designation (1992/93, under "45 Parachute Brigade", a Special-Forces-only designation distinct from the real 44 Parachute Brigade) -> "X Special Forces Regiment" (1995). The parent formation itself changed name several times before 1995 (Special Forces Headquarters, then Directorate Reconnaissance(Forces)) with disputed exact dates between sources -- 1995 is the one date sources agree on. Corps classified as SAIC (South African Infantry Corps) per this site's own records; no independent source found confirms that for Special Forces units specifically -- treat as owner-asserted pending a better citation.
Notes
Husband of Mrs. A. Nortje
Research notes
SASFA In Memoriam (operators): confirmed Special Forces operator. SASFA: Nortje Gert KIA 1986 (* crocodile). https://www.recce.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/4.1.-Memoriam.pdf 26 Aug 2026: Unit was leftover "1 South African Infantry Battalion"; Regiment was "5th Reconnaissance Regiment". SAWGP Regiment 5th Reconnaissance Regiment with no separate unit.
Citations
Unknown
External References
-
SADF.info Border Roll of Honour
open source ↗
SADF.info Border RoH
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
-
The War in Angola
open source ↗
War In Angola Roll of Honour (warinangola.com, tabid=1175), pages 26-28 of 143: confirmed, no changes.
-
Unit veterans association
open source ↗
SASFA In Memoriam: Nortje Gert KIA 1986 (* crocodile) — confirmed Special Forces operator
Stories
No stories have been added yet.
Dedications
No dedications have been added yet.